Act I

The Situation

The end of Act I should be a “point of no return.” Usually something is taken away from your protagonist, and they can never go back to the way things were.

They have no choice but to continue into Act II.

Act II a

Rising Action

In the beginning of Act II, we get to explore the “new world” of the story. We meet its characters, as the hero is put through greater and greater challenges, until…

Act II b

Raise the Stakes

Something drastic happens, to change the course of the hero’s journey. Where before things felt like “rising action”, now it feels like “spiraling out of control”. The challenges seem insurmountable, and the hero is beat down, again and again.

Act III

The Resolution

The resolution of the story and its subplots. The climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of the story are brought to their most intense point and the dramatic question answered, leaving the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they really are.

John Hero

Give a brief overview of John here. Maybe include his photo for quick reference.

But to the right…

Dr. Devious

Do the same for you antagonist, major and minor characters!

Opening Image

page 1

If you had to choose a photo to establish what “the world” is like before your story starts, this is it.

Make it stand out, because first impressions matter. They set the tone and mood and scope, and hook the audience (or reader).

If it’s a vast epic, the opening image should be grand. If it’s a small intricate family drama, the opening images are small and subdued.

If you have inline notes, you can make them stand out with red backtick highlighting.

Theme Stated

page 5

It might not be clear at first, but your story should have a theme.

You can think of the theme as an argument, that the rest of the movie has to prove.

Remember that a theme is there to guide you as a story writer, and provide a strong undercurrent to your story. It’s not a restriction, it’s a fountain for your imagination. If you ever get stuck, go back to your theme and you will find your answer there.

Set-up

pgs 1-10

By the first 10 pages (or 12 at most), you need to have set up your story.

If you think of your story as a cannon shot, by page 10 the cannon needs to be loaded, aimed, and ready to be fired.

Catalyst

pg 12

Again, with the cannon analogy: Your cannon is aimed in pages 1-10, it needs to actually fire by page 12.

Here again, the size and scope of the catalyst event must match the size of your story. If it’s a small drama, it could be a phone call announcing a death in the family, or it could be a breakup.

If it’s a sprawling epic, it should be something grander. The outbreak of war, or the destruction of a planet.

Debate

pgs 12-25

If your hero starts moving towards his goal immediately, it’ll seem as though he’s just reacting to what happens around him.

No one wants to see a hero react, they want to see him or her act.

That’s what the debate section is for. This is where the hero shows that he/she knows that it’ll be a long road, but consciously decides to act.

Break into Two

pg 25

Once the hero decides to act, it’s time to step through a membrane, and enter the world of Act II.

For example, in Star Wars, the catalyst is Luke’s parents being killed, but the Act II event occurs when they board Han’s ship, and the journey begins.

B Story

pg 30

The audience has been through a lot of turmoil to get to this point. Introduce a secondary story to give them a rest.

This B story usually involves a romance, or a new friendship, or some other relationship with a character from the “new world” of Act II.

It also serves two useful tools for you as a writer:

It lets you have a second storyline to “cut to”, when needed. It’s like having a second camera to cut to when editing.

It’s an avenue you can use to discuss the theme.

This is where the B Story starts, but it runs throughout the rest of the movie.

Fun and Games

pgs 30-55

This is where you get to have fun (yes, even in a serious drama).

With your logline, you asked a question: “What would happen if __?”This is where you answer that question.

You’ve set up your story, your characters, and propelled them along in their journey. This is where you get to explore what happens.

If there was a teaser for your movie, most scenes will come from this section.

Midpoint

pg 55

Your cannonball has reached it’s peak. The fun and games are over. There’s no better way to put this, than: “Shit just got serious!”

The midpoint is where the stakes are raised.If people are to die in your story, this is where the first character dies. If it’s a smaller drama, a bombshell is dropped here.

Something important has to happen at the midpoint.

Bad Guys Close In !!

pgs 55-75

Things get progressively worse… the challenges are getting harder, while the hero is getting more downtrodden.

Don’t hold back, or feel sorry for your hero. Give ‘em hell.

All is Lost

pg 75

.. until it seems there’s no hope. This is the darkest part of the screenplay, where the hero realizes how bad things are. If there’s no death in your story, you might give a “whiff of death” here (even in comedies).

Dark Night of the Soul

pgs 75-85

How does your character feel about the darkness around him/her?

Even if it’s brief, this moment is critical. The hero is not only beaten, but he/she knows it. Your hero must admit defeat, and must learn humility.

Only then can your hero…

Break Into Three

pg 85

Find the solution!

Because of everything that’s happened so far, and with the help of B story characters, the hero finds his last best effort to find a solution.

The idea for the solution is at hand.

Finale

pgs 85-110

Wrap it up.The climax must be the result of the entire chain of events leading up to this point. A chain that should be linked by the words “therefore” or “but”… it’s not enough for Y to follow X, Y must happen because of X.

Your climax is the result of

Who your hero is.

How your hero has changed.

The events leading up to this point.

Dispatch all the bad guys (literal or figurative), in ascending order. At the end, a new world is born.

Not only must the hero suceed, but he/she must change the world.

Final Image

pg 110

The opening image is your “before” shot, this is the “after”.

The world must have changed, and the difference between the opening image and the closing is the proof of this change.

Backstory

Fill out his backstory here…

Appearance

Describes his looks here…

Goals

Wishes and dreams, aspirations, goals, etc. What drives John to be the Protagonist?

Some notes about this scene

So that third column to the left forms your story. You can even export that column alone and you will essentially have your manuscript.

However, by branching more notes this way to the right side, every scene/note can have notes, giving you the freedom to track any and all details about what happens in the scene.

These can in turn keep branching and you can go as deep down the rabbit hole as you like.

{"cards":[{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba8","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":null,"content":"### ![](https://dl.dropbox.com/s/oldb0v8vkmna7ec/step-1.png)** Start Here**\n# Logline\nQuite simply, what is your story about?\nHere are a few tips to improve your logline:\n\n- Make sure your logline contains **irony**\n- Use the question \"What if?\" to trigger the imagination\n- Can you make it universal?\n\n**EDIT** this card to replace this with your logline."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba9","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba8","content":"## Act I\n#### *The Situation*\n\nPresent the “normal world” of your film—before everything goes haywire.\n\nThe end of Act I should be a “point of no return.” Usually something is taken away from your protagonist, and they can never go back to the way things were.\n\nThey have no choice but to continue into Act II.\n"},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1baa","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba9","content":"### Opening Image\n###### page 1\nIf you had to choose a photo to establish what \"the world\" is like before your story starts, this is it.\n\nMake it stand out, because first impressions matter. They set the tone and mood and scope, and hook the audience (or reader).\n\nIf it's a vast epic, the opening image should be grand. If it's a small intricate family drama, the opening images are small and subdued.\n\n`If you have inline notes, you can make them stand out with red backtick highlighting.`"},{"_id":"3fb4499b57c94177a100003d","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1baa","content":"####Some notes about this scene\nSo that third column to the left forms your story. You can even export that column alone and you will essentially have your manuscript.\n\nHowever, by branching more notes this way to the right side, every scene/note can have notes, giving you the freedom to track any and all details about what happens in the scene.\n\nThese can in turn keep branching and you can go as deep down the rabbit hole as you like."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bab","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba9","content":"### Theme Stated\n###### page 5\nIt might not be clear at first, but your story should have a theme.\n\nYou can think of the theme as an argument, that the rest of the movie has to prove.\n\nRemember that a theme is there to guide you as a story writer, and provide a strong undercurrent to your story. It's not a restriction, it's **a fountain** for your imagination. If you ever get stuck, go back to your theme and you will find your answer there."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bac","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba9","content":"### Set-up\n###### pgs 1-10\n\nBy the first 10 pages (or 12 at most), you need to have set up your story.\n\nIf you think of your story as a cannon shot, by page 10 the cannon needs to be loaded, aimed, and ready to be fired."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bad","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":4,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba9","content":"### Catalyst\n###### pg 12\nAgain, with the cannon analogy: Your cannon is aimed in pages 1-10, it needs to actually fire by page 12.\n\nHere again, the size and scope of the catalyst event must match the size of your story. If it's a small drama, it could be a phone call announcing a death in the family, or it could be a breakup.\n\nIf it's a sprawling epic, it should be something grander. The outbreak of war, or the destruction of a planet."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bae","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":5,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba9","content":"### Debate\n###### pgs 12-25\nIf your hero starts moving towards his goal immediately, it'll seem as though he's just reacting to what happens around him.\n\nNo one wants to see a hero react, they want to see him or her *act*.\n\nThat's what the debate section is for. This is where the hero shows that he/she knows that it'll be a long road, but consciously decides to act.\n\n"},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1baf","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba8","content":"## Act II a\n#### *Rising Action*\n\nIn the beginning of Act II, we get to explore the \"new world\" of the story. We meet its characters, as the hero is put through greater and greater challenges, until..."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb0","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1baf","content":"### Break into Two\n###### pg 25\nOnce the hero decides to act, it's time to step through a membrane, and enter the world of Act II.\n\nFor example, in *Star Wars*, the catalyst is Luke's parents being killed, but the Act II event occurs when they board Han's ship, and the journey begins."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb1","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1baf","content":"### B Story\n###### pg 30\nThe audience has been through a lot of turmoil to get to this point. Introduce a secondary story to give them a rest.\n\nThis B story usually involves a romance, or a new friendship, or some other relationship with a character from the \"new world\" of Act II.\n\nIt also serves two useful tools for you as a writer:\n1. It lets you have a second storyline to \"cut to\", when needed. It's like having a second camera to cut to when editing.\n2. It's an avenue you can use to discuss the theme.\n\nThis is where the B Story starts, but it runs throughout the rest of the movie."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb2","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1baf","content":"### Fun and Games\n###### pgs 30-55\nThis is where you get to have fun (yes, even in a serious drama).\n\nWith your logline, you asked a question: \"What would happen if ____?\"\nThis is where you answer that question.\n\nYou've set up your story, your characters, and propelled them along in their journey. This is where you get to explore what happens.\n\nIf there was a teaser for your movie, most scenes will come from this section.\n"},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb3","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba8","content":"## Act II b\n####*Raise the Stakes*\nSomething drastic happens, to change the course of the hero's journey. Where before things felt like \"rising action\", now it feels like \"spiraling out of control\". The challenges seem insurmountable, and the hero is beat down, again and again."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb4","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb3","content":"### Midpoint\n###### pg 55\nYour cannonball has reached it's peak. The fun and games are over. There's no better way to put this, than: \"Shit just got serious!\"\n\nThe midpoint is where the stakes are raised.\nIf people are to die in your story, this is where the first character dies. If it's a smaller drama, a bombshell is dropped here.\n\nSomething important has to happen at the midpoint."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb5","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb3","content":"### Bad Guys Close In !!\n###### pgs 55-75\nThings get progressively worse... the challenges are getting harder, while the hero is getting more downtrodden.\n\nDon't hold back, or feel sorry for your hero. Give 'em hell."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb6","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb3","content":"### All is Lost\n###### pg 75\n.. until it seems there's no hope. This is the darkest part of the screenplay, where the hero realizes how bad things are. If there's no death in your story, you might give a \"whiff of death\" here (even in comedies)."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb7","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":4,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb3","content":"### Dark Night of the Soul\n###### pgs 75-85\nHow does your character feel about the darkness around him/her?\n\nEven if it's brief, this moment is critical. The hero is not only beaten, but he/she *knows* it. Your hero must admit defeat, and must learn humility.\n\nOnly then can your hero..."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb8","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":4,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba8","content":"## Act III\n#### The Resolution\n\nThe resolution of the story and its subplots. The climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of the story are brought to their most intense point and the dramatic question answered, leaving the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they really are."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb9","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb8","content":"### Break Into Three\n###### pg 85\nFind the solution!\n\nBecause of everything that's happened so far, and with the help of B story characters, the hero finds his last best effort to find a solution.\n\nThe idea for the solution is at hand."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bba","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb8","content":"### Finale\n###### pgs 85-110\nWrap it up.\nThe climax must be the *result* of the entire chain of events leading up to this point. A chain that should be linked by the words \"therefore\" or \"but\"... it's not enough for Y to follow X, Y must happen because of X.\n\nYour climax is the result of\n\n1. Who your hero is.\n2. How your hero has changed.\n3. The events leading up to this point.\n\nDispatch all the bad guys (literal or figurative), in ascending order. At the end, a new world is born.\n\nNot only must the hero suceed, but he/she must change the world."},{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bbb","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1bb8","content":"### Final Image\n###### pg 110\nThe opening image is your \"before\" shot, this is the \"after\".\n\nThe world must have changed, and the difference between the opening image and the closing is the proof of this change."},{"_id":"3fb4477f57c94177a100003c","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":null,"content":"#Characters\nBranch from here to keep a list of your characters and details about them."},{"_id":"3fb450aa57c94177a100003e","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"3fb4477f57c94177a100003c","content":"##John Hero\nGive a brief overview of John here. Maybe include his photo for quick reference.\n\nBut to the right... "},{"_id":"3fb4527457c94177a100003f","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":1,"parentId":"3fb450aa57c94177a100003e","content":"##Backstory\nFill out his backstory here..."},{"_id":"3fb4534157c94177a1000040","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"3fb450aa57c94177a100003e","content":"##Appearance\nDescribes his looks here..."},{"_id":"3fb453f257c94177a1000041","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":3,"parentId":"3fb450aa57c94177a100003e","content":"##Goals\nWishes and dreams, aspirations, goals, etc. What drives John to be the Protagonist?"},{"_id":"3fb4563d57c94177a1000042","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":2,"parentId":"3fb4477f57c94177a100003c","content":"##Dr. Devious\nDo the same for you antagonist, major and minor characters!\n"},{"_id":"3fb457de57c94177a1000043","treeId":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","seq":1,"position":4,"parentId":null,"content":"#Locations / Settings\nNot only provide a list of locations, but even time periods, include maps, photos of buildings, etc.!"}],"tree":{"_id":"532ba05cf4b5ca7d0c2f1ba6","name":"Screenplay/Story Example","publicUrl":"story-example"}}